St Petersburg University and Gazprom Neft launch master’s programme to train a new generation of engineers

The new initiative aims to address the growing demand within the industry for specialists with expertise in artificial intelligence and modelling technologies in the oil and gas industry, along with interdisciplinary fundamental and applied knowledge, as well as managerial and economic competencies.

Training will commence in autumn 2025 within the framework of the Advanced Engineering School of St Petersburg University ‘Interdisciplinary Research, Technologies and Business Processes for the Mineral Resources and Raw Materials sector of Russia’. Lectures will be delivered by leading experts from St Petersburg University and Gazprom Neft, specialising in areas such as the development of hard-to-recover reserves, seismic data processing and interpretation, and the implementation of innovative technologies in the industry. Students will gain access to cutting-edge digital tools and have the opportunity to participate in Gazprom Neft’s advanced projects. The most successful graduates will be eligible for employment at the company’s technology centres in St Petersburg and other regions of the Russian Federation.

Vyacheslav Polovkov, Director of the Advanced Engineering School at St Petersburg University, noted that the joint academic programme is designed to train a new generation of highly sought-after professionals in the oil and gas industry.

Our graduates will be equipped to work confidently with advanced technologies, transforming large datasets into meaningful discoveries and converting complex digital models into practical solutions for the oil and gas industry.

Vyacheslav Polovkov, Director of the Advanced Engineering School at St Petersburg University

‘Moreover, students of the master’s programme will gain hands-on experience through the processing and interpretation of real-world data in state-of-the-art laboratories,’ said Vyacheslav Polovkov.

The master’s programme ‘Petroleum Engineering and Digital Technology’ comprises modules in oil and gas geology and geophysics, geostatistics, 3D modelling, programming, and the application of neural network models in Python. During their studies, students will be introduced to seismic exploration techniques, resource estimation methods, and approaches to oil and gas well operations and field management.

St Petersburg University offers master’s programmes in related fields, including: Geology and Geochemistry of Oil and Gas; and Geophysics and Computer Technologies of Data Analysis.

‘The search for new oil and gas fields becomes more challenging every year. Our industry is increasingly moving towards the use of complex digital subsurface models. Engineers are now employing artificial intelligence to analyse data and identify new hydrocarbon deposits. To support further development in this area, the entire industry requires specialists with in-depth knowledge of both IT and the fundamental sciences. In collaboration with St Petersburg University, we are therefore launching a training programme to prepare the specialists required for modern industrial engineering,’ said Alexei Vashkevich, Deputy Head of Technological Development at Gazprom Neft.

The new programme responds to the challenges of digital transformation in the oil and gas industry by training highly qualified professionals capable of working effectively with advanced technologies in hydrocarbon exploration and production. Graduates of the programme will be much in demand across oil and gas companies, research institutions, and computing centres, where the comprehensive application of digital tools and a thorough understanding of geological processes are essential.